1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners, and more particularly to an air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners, which is capable of being smoothly operated without laterally tilting its shutter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the housing of the air conditioner body of a general air conditioner are formed an air inlet for sucking indoor air and an air outlet for exhausting air-conditioned air into an indoor space. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with sucked air and a fan for blowing air from the heat exchanger to the air outlet are mounted in the air conditioner body of the air conditioner. Recently, in order to prevent dust or impurities from entering the air conditioner body through the air outlet, an air outlet opening apparatus for selectively opening and closing the air outlet is generally provided in the air conditioner body of the air conditioner.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a conventional air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners includes a shutter 3 having a size sufficient to selectively open and close the air outlet 2 formed in the front panel 1 of an air conditioner body, a pair of support plates for guiding the movement of the shutter 3 as well as supporting the shutter 3, and elevation means for selectively elevating and lowering the shutter.
An upper guide groove 6a and a lower guide groove 6b are formed on the inner side surface of each of the support plates 4a and 4b situated beside the air outlet 2. Two guide pins 7a and 7b are formed on each of the outer side surfaces of the shutter 3 to guide the movement of the shutter 3 while being fitted into the upper and lower guide grooves 6a and 6b. 
The elevation means includes an elevation member 5 provided with a rack gear portion 5a, a pinion gear 8 engaged with the rack gear portion 5a of the elevation member 5, and a drive motor 9 for driving the pinion gear 8. The elevation member 5 is attached to the central portion of the rear surface of the shutter 3. The drive motor 9 assembled with the pinion gear 8 is secured to the rear surface of the front panel 1. In this case, the pinion gear 8 is engaged with the rack gear portion 5a of the elevation member 5.
In the conventional air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners, as the pinion gear 8 is rotated by the operation of the drive motor 9, the elevation member 5 is elevated. Accordingly, the shutter 3 secured to the elevation member 5 is elevated while being guided by the guide grooves 6a and 6b of the support plates 4a and 4b, thereby selectively opening and closing the air outlet 2 of the front panel 1.
In the conventional air outlet opening apparatus, a single elevation member 5 is secured to the center portion of the shutter 3, so the shutter 3 is laterally tilted by the vibration of the apparatus. As a result, the shutter is not elevated smoothly and, consequently, the guide grooves 6a and 6b and the guide pins 7a and 7b are worn out.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners, which is capable of selectively elevating and lowering its shutter at two horizontally spaced positions, thereby smoothly performing the elevation and lowering of its shutter and the opening and closing of the air outlet.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an air outlet opening apparatus for air conditioners, including: a shutter for selectively opening and closing the air outlet formed on an air conditioner body; a pair of support plates mounted beside the shutter to guide the elevation and lowering of the shutter; and elevation means for selectively elevating and lowering the shutter; wherein the elevation means includes a pair of elevation members positioned to be slid on the support plates, a drive motor for generating power to move the elevation members, and power transmission means for converting the rotating movement of the drive motor to the simultaneous linear movements of the elevation members.
The power transmission means can include two rack gear portions formed on the elevation members, a pair of pinion gears, one of which is engaged with the drive motor, engaged with the rack gear portions, and a common shaft connecting the pinion gears.
The elevation means can further include guide grooves formed longitudinally on the support plates and two pairs of support pins each mounted on both sides of the shutter while being spaced apart from each other and inserted into the guide grooves while passing through the elevation members.
The guide grooves can include first and second guide grooves which partially overlap each other to communicate with each other, and the support pins can include first and second support pins which are inserted into the first and second guide grooves, respectively.
The guide grooves may be comprised of first and second guide grooves which partially overlap each other to communicate with each other, and the support pins may be comprised of first and second support pins which are inserted into the first and second guide grooves, respectively.
The first and second guide grooves may be formed to have different depths, and the first and second support pins may be formed to have lengths corresponding to the depths of the first and second guide grooves.
The first guide groove may be formed to have a relatively narrow width and a relatively deep depth, the second guide groove may be formed to have a relatively wide width and a relatively shallow depth, and the first and second support pins may be formed to have widths and lengths corresponding to the widths and depths of the first and second guide grooves.
The first and second guide grooves may each have a vertical groove portion that is connected to a horizontal groove portion extending toward the air outlet at its upper end to guide the first and second guide pins, and the elevation members may be each provided with upper and lower inclined slots to guide the support pins through the horizontal groove portions when the support pins reach the horizontal groove portions.
The upper inclined slot may have a vertical extension at its lower end and the lower inclined slot may be formed to be longer than the upper inclined slot, and the first support pin inserted into the upper inclined slot may be situated behind the second support pin inserted into the lower inclined slot in the anteroposterior direction of the shutter.
The common shaft may have a polygonal sectional shape to minimize its twisting.